Justine J. Reel: Ph.D., LCMHC, CC-AASP
Interim Dean and Professor

Justine Reel is the interim dean in the College of Health and Human Services at UNCW. She has served as associate dean for research and innovation in the college since 2014 and is also a tenured professor in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences. 

Prior to coming to UNCW, Reel served as the director of graduate studies, associate chair, and chair of the research committee within the College of Health at the University of Utah. Reel was previously a faculty member at the University of Utah, West Chester University, Temple University and Salem College in Winston-Salem, N.C. and was honored with a summer professorship at Pepperdine University. Reel completed her master’s degrees and doctoral work at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She earned her bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.

Reel is a licensed professional counselor in the state of North Carolina who specializes in eating disorder treatment and prevention. She is the architect of an innovative treatment approach for providing exercise education within an eating disorder residential setting. She continues to investigate ways to assess and promote intuitive exercise in clinical populations. Reel has published several books such as: Hidden Faces of Eating Disorders and Body Image; Eating Disorders: An Encyclopedia of Causes, Treatment, and Prevention; Working Out: The Psychology of Sport and Exercise; and Filling Up: The Psychology of Eating, along with more than 100 manuscripts and book chapters about eating disorders, obesity and other health-related topics. Her passion is mentoring faculty, staff, and students in research and scholarship as well as to provide support for their career journey.